FOUNDATIONS REVEALED COMPETITION ENTRY
Folk of The Air Doublet
(click images to to enlarge)
Outline the story …
The inspiration was Cardan Greenbriar, the protagonist of Holly Black’s The Folk of The Air series. He is a faerie and the High King of Elfhame, the faeries’ homeland. It related to the theme of “Into Another World” as both the character and the world he comes from are not human.
Cardan is often depicted wearing dark clothes, and blue is my favorite color. This is why I chose a deep midnight blue wool, reminiscent of the night sky, for the outside of the doublet. The lining is a turquoise linen to make the doublet a little more me. I reckon this is what this King could wear on a casual day.
Most of the construction is done following historical methods to give the garment that otherworldly feel also by connecting it to times long gone.
For the trims on the tabs and the collar, I wanted something discreet but still regal, with a turquoise line to bring out the lining. Halfway through the construction, I decided I wanted to add some decoration: I wanted a floral motif on the sleeve slit, to represent the character’s connection to the land and nature, and feathers on the wings, with which he is often depicted. I couldn’t find feathers I liked, so the wings are also floral: I bought embroidered tulle from which I cut the designs and placed them so as to make it seem that the leaves are closing the sleeve slit, and randomly on the wings.
Outline the construction…
I used a pattern from reconstructinghistory.com, which evolved according to the mock-up (the future lining): the side width was reduced (hence a new seam); a piece was added to the armscye; the sleeve armhole was reshaped, the sleeve got slimmer and 4in longer.
Everything is handsewn. The lining seam allowances were folded over the cotton canvas interlining and running-stitched. There is no center-back seam on the wool layer as this option allowed me to have the least waste possible
For the collar, the wool is wrapped over the padding and herringbone-stitched. The lining felled down with folded-in seam allowances. I lengthened the pattern but I ended up undoing the ends of the collar after I had sewn it to the body once I realized it was too long.
I added 7mm to the tabs pattern to fit the reworked body. For those and the wings, the canvas is pad-stitched to the lining, the trim (almost forgotten for the first tab) is sewed to the wool, then the two layers are backstitched. Although I had measured the tabs, they didn’t seem to fit at first. The solution is a 3/16in space between each.
I sewed the wing to the body, then, treating that as one layer, sewed the sleeves in. The embroidery was carefully sewn on by catching only the wool layer, and having the thread follow the lines in the embroidery pattern so that it could be hidden. I handsewn eighteen buttonholes, 2cm apart, with antique buttonhole silk.
It is both so clean on the outside and inside. I really love the pieced lining. And as a lover of blue as well, I very much approve on the colour choice
The embroidery is fabulous, and the small pop of colour works really well.
Incredible construction!
Absolutely love this doublet, it has a quiet elegant dignity
I love your doublet and how you have styled and embellished it. Hand sewing is such a beautiful thing and your hard work in making the garment really stands out.